Apparatus for supporting rotatable tube

ABSTRACT

This invention concerns the construction of a simple yet sturdy multipurpose apparatus which as a series of stands, hangers, or both, can be used to support a rotatable tube. The primary object of the invention is to provide such a construction which is simple to fabricate. A feature of the construction is that the apparatus can be assembled either as a stand or hanger merely by a different geometric arrangement of the same parts with a simple bolt or pin locking thereof.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Edward L. Benno [56] References Cited Rte. 1, Box 198, Grayslake, Ill. 60030 UNITED STATES PATENTS Q S 9- g glf 1969 836,321 11/1906 11111 248/125 3 e d J 3 1,657,732 1/1928 White 248/55 1 meme 2,641,428 6/1953 Kirk 6! al. 248/55 2,820,552 1/1958 Erisalu 248/243 [5 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A ROTATABLE I Primary ExaminerWesley S. Ratlifi,.lr.

TUBE 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. RACT ABST This invention concerns the construction of a [52] 243 simple yet sturdy multipurpose apparatus which as a series of 51 I Cl stands, hangers, or both, can be used to support a rotatable n!- C u tube The primary object of the invention is to provide such a I so] new of Search 308/27 construction which is simple to fabricate. A feature of the constructlon is that the apparatus can be assembled e1ther as a stand or hanger merely by a different geometric arrangement of the same parts with a simple bolt or pin locking thereof.

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A ROTATABLE TUBE DESCRIPTION Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the invention assembled as a tube hanger;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the invention assembled as a tube stand; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure and taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present embodiment by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of of the present invention.

Generally, the present invention is intended to be used in rotatable tube livestock feeders such as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,256,864, issued June 21, 1966 to E. L. Benno. Such livestock feeders comprise rotatable tubes which may extend hundreds of feet through feed lots or barns and thereby require many stands or hangers or both. Generally such stands or hangers must primarily provide vertical support and need not have substantial horizontal rigidity. On the contrary, slight horizontal floating or freedom of the stand or hanger is oftentimes desirable or necessary. Further, such stands or hangers should have minimum thickness to provide minimum interference with feed dumped from the tube.

In the hanger arrangement of FIG. 1, two tubes and 11 are provided. Tubes or rods I2 and 13 are respectively telescoped into tubes 10 and 11 and adjustably secured therein by bolts 14 threaded through the tubes 10 and 11. Plates 15 secured to the upper ends of the tubes 12 and 13 provide means for securing the tubes 12 and 13 to depend from a beam or ceiling. v

The lower end portions of the tubes 10 and 11 are provided with holes extending therethrough. The axes of those holes are disposed at angles to the longitudinal axes of the tubes 10 and l I so that the axes of the holes converge toward each other to a point below the holes. In one reduction to practice of the invention, the angle of the axes of the holes through the tubeslO and II to the longitudinal axes of the tubes 10 and 11 are sub stantially 45? A cross tube or rod 16 is provided for insertion through the angled holes in the tubes 10 and 11. The end portions of the cross tube 16 are bent at angles inthe samedirection to the center portion. The axes of the bent end portions are disposed at substantially the same angle to the axis of the center portion as-the angle of the axes of the holes through-the lower portions of the tubes 10 and II to the longitudinal axes of the tubes 10 and 11. The cross tube 16 is inserted with the end portions extending through the angled holes of the tubes 10 and 11 so that the center portion of the cross tube 16 is substantially horizontal and below the holes in the tubes 10 and 11. The tip.

portions of the cross tube 16 extend outwardly of the tubes 10 and II, and pins or bolts 17 are inserted through holes provided through the tip portions of the cross tube 16 to lock the cross tube 16 from removal from the tubes 10 and 11.

The axes of the holes through the extending tip portions of the cross tube 16 are disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the tip portions and the tubes 10 and I]. It can be seen that the cross tube 16 lies substantially in a plane including the tubes 10 and 11.

The angled end portions of the cross tube 16 between the tubes 10 and 11 are provided with U-shaped plate members I8. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the lower portion of the plates 18 are bent to conform to the shape of the lower surface of the cross tube 16 and are positioned in firm contact therewith. Aligned holes are provided through the side lower portions of the plates 18 and the cross tube 16. and fasteners 20 are inserted through those aligned holes to secure the plates 18 to the cross tube 16 with the legs of the plates 18 extending upwardly.

the plates 18 by a fastener 22.

Feed tubes of livestock feeders are commonly constructed to have rings at the tube joints and such a ring is shown generally at 23. With a tube ring 23 it is an advantage to provide that the ends of the plates 18 extend above the rollers 2| so that the rollers 21 are confined on the edge of the ring 23 by the plates 18. It is obvious from the drawing that the hanger must be of such a size in relation to the tube ring 23 that the rollers 21 support the ring 23 at lower opposite sides thereof.

FIG. 2 shows the same parts as in FIGS. 1 and 3 except that the tubes 10 and 11 are mounted in a different arrangement on the cross tube 16 to form a tube stand rather than a tube hanger. The tubes 10 and 11 in FIG. 2 are rotated 180 about their longitudinal axes, turned end-over-end, and inserted on the opposite ends of cross tube 16 from FIG. I.

I claim:

1.'In an apparatus for supporting a rotatable tube, a pair of vertically disposed horizontally spaced apart support members, each of said support members having a hole.

therethrough, the axes of said holes of said pair of support members being inclined to converge toward each other to a point vertically below said holes, a cross member having end portions angled from the center portion thereof, the angle between the longitudinal axes of said end portions and the longitudinal axis of said center portion of said cross member being substantially the same as the angle of the axes of said holes of said support members to the longitudinal axes of said support members, each end portion of said cross member. being disposed through said hole through one of said support 7 members, securing means connected to said end portions of said cross member for preventing said cross member from being withdrawn from said support members, a pair of substantially U-shaped plate members, each of said plate members being carried on one of the end portions of said cross member between said support members, means securing each of said'plate members to said en portions of said cross member so that the longitudinal axes of the legs of said plate members are inclined upwardly and toward a point between said support members and within a plane including said support members, a pair of rollers, each of said rollers rotatively carried between the legs of one of said plate members for rotatively carrying a rotatable tube on said rollers.

2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said end portions of said cross member extend through said holes in said support members so that the tip portions of said end portions extend outwardly of said support members, and wherein means extending through the contiguous sidewalls of said plate members and said end portions.

4. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of the legs of said U-shaped plate members extend above the outer circumference of said rollers so that a rotatable tube having a radially projecting ring thereabout is supported on said apparatus with the edge of said ring on said rollers and between the upwardly extending ends of said legs of said U shaped plate members. v I

5. In an apparatus as defined in claim I, wherein said end portions of said cross members extend through said holes in said support members so that the tip portions of said end portions extend outwardly of said support members, said securing means connected to said end portions of said cross member for preventing said cross member from being withdrawn from said support members comprises first pin means carried by said extending tip portions of said end portions, the portions of radially projecting ring thereabout is supported on said apparatus with the edge of said ring on said rollers and between the upwardly extending endsof said legs of said U-shaped plate members.

6. In an apparatus as defined in claim 5', whereinsaid support members and said cross member are cylindrical members. 

1. In an apparatus for supporting a rotatable tube, a pair of vertically disposed horizontally spaced apart support members, each of said support members having a hole therethrough, the axes of said holes of said pair of support members being inclined to converge toward each other to a point vertically below said holes, a cross member having end portions angled from the center portion thereof, the angle between the longitudinal axes of said end portions and the longitudinal axis of said center portion of said cross member being substantially the same as the angle of the axes of said holes of said support members to the longitudinal axes of said support members, each end portion of said cross member being disposed through said hole through one of said support members, securing means connected to said end portions of said cross member for preventing said cross member from being withdrawn from said support members, a pair of substantially U-shaped plate members, each of said plate members being carried on one of the end portions of said cross member between said support members, means securing each of said plate members to said en portions of said cross member so that the longitudinal axes of the legs of said plate members are inclined upwardly and toward a point between said support members and within a plane including said support members, a pair of rollers, each of said rollers rotatively carried between the legs of one of said plate members for rotatively carrying a rotatable tube on said rollers.
 2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said end portions of said cross member extend through said holes in said support members so that the tip portions of said end portions extend outwardly of said support members, and wherein said securing means connected to said end portions of said cross member for preventing said cross member from being withdrawn from said support members comprises pin means carried by said extending tip portions of said end portions.
 3. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the porTions of said U-shaped plate members carried on said end portions of said cross member are contiguous to the side and bottom walls of end portions, and wherein said means securing each of said plate members to said end portions comprises pin means extending through the contiguous sidewalls of said plate members and said end portions.
 4. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of the legs of said U-shaped plate members extend above the outer circumference of said rollers so that a rotatable tube having a radially projecting ring thereabout is supported on said apparatus with the edge of said ring on said rollers and between the upwardly extending ends of said legs of said U-shaped plate members.
 5. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said end portions of said cross members extend through said holes in said support members so that the tip portions of said end portions extend outwardly of said support members, said securing means connected to said end portions of said cross member for preventing said cross member from being withdrawn from said support members comprises first pin means carried by said extending tip portions of said end portions, the portions of said U-shaped plate members carried on said end portions of said cross member being contiguous to the side and bottom walls of said end portions, said means securing each of said plate members to said end portions comprises second pin means extending through the contiguous side walls of said plate members and said end portions, and the ends of the legs of said U-shaped plate members extending above the outer circumference of said rollers so that a rotatable tube having a radially projecting ring thereabout is supported on said apparatus with the edge of said ring on said rollers and between the upwardly extending ends of said legs of said U-shaped plate members.
 6. In an apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said support members and said cross member are cylindrical members. 